The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology, was released by the U.S. Department of Education on November 9, 2010. The plan recommends incorporating technology used in daily life and the workplace into all aspects of the educational system.
Goals of the NETP
The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) contains goals and recommendations in five areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity.
Learning
All learners will have engaging and empowering learning experiences both in and outside of school that prepare them to be active, creative, knowledgeable, and ethical participants in our globally networked society.(NETP 2010)
Learning must engage and empower students. This can be accomplished by using technology to improve learning across the curriculum, provide 24/7 access to learning resources and 21st century expertise, and meet STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) objectives.
Assessment
Our education system at all levels will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use assessment data for continuous improvement. (NETP 2010)
Assessment should be technology-based. The collected data can be analyzed for needed improvements in the learning process. Technology should be used to improve formative and summative assessment materials and uses. Various techniques should be developed to motivate student learners. Gaming technology, simulations, collaboration environments, and virtual worlds appeal to students and can be incorporated into student learning and assessment. All of this technology integration must include student privacy and information protection while allowing data sharing to facilitate continuous improvement.
Teaching
Professional educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners. (NETP 2010)
Opportunities for teacher collaboration through technology-based content, resources and online learning communities will provide for increased teacher retention, more effective teaching skills and attract more people to the profession. To effectively increase educator knowledge of technology, technology based professional development will be provided to pre-service and in-service educators. Learning should be a career-long experience for educators with support networks that include schools, educational institutions, and professional organizations. Technology will provide educators with access to numerous teaching and learning resources. The ability to facilitate online instruction should be achieved by all educators.
Infrastructure
All students and educators will have access to a comprehensive infrastructure for learning when and where they need it. (NETP 2010)
Students and teachers should have at least one Internet access device and have broadband access to the Internet and wireless connectivity both inside and outside of school. Software and resources for research, communication and productivity should be available at all times. Open source programs should be utilized and technology tools should be improved and added as these become available. Educational and information technology goals should be established by states and districts. A learning infrastructure should be developed by state and local education agencies.
Productivity
Our education system at all levels will redesign processes and structures to take advantage of the power of technology to improve learning outcomes while making more efficient use of time, money, and staff. (NETP 2010)
Educational productivity must be defined and improved to facilitate more efficient use of all resources. Technology is used to measure and improve learning outcomes and all costs including procurement. Funding is provided for the development of interoperability standards that will enable the collection, analysis and sharing of data that is used to improve decision making for all aspects of the education system. Realign our education system to include the use of technology to improve learning as opposed to more traditional methods. Ensure that students are prepared for the workplace and citizenship upon completion of the K-16 education system.
All of these goals are important but let’s expand on the learning, teaching, professional development and training aspects. Technology should be utilized to provide each learner with a program tailored to their specific educational needs. Learning is not limited to the classroom but occurs 24/7 and includes resources that are only possible because of the worldwide reach of technology. Students should learn to use critical thinking and problem solving skills. They should also learn to use tools and techniques that are used for real-world applications. These could include blogs, wikis, graphic design, and collaboration. Assessments should be technology-based and include a variety of skills and real-world topics. The collected data can be analyzed for needed improvements in the learning process. The most appropriate techniques can be customized for individual students. Teaching must shift from an isolated teacher-directed model to a connected teaching model. In a connected teaching model, educators use a team activity approach. Online learning communities are developed to provide students with 24 hour access to their peers, educators, professional experts on topics studied, community members and parents. This approach uses data collection to constantly improve the learning experience. Teachers become facilitators, mentors and co-learners. Students have the advantage of online learning systems and self-directed learning opportunities. Teaching will be supported by technology both on an individual teacher basis and in team teaching situations. Technology will be used to connect teachers to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that will help improve teaching techniques. Professional development and trainings should be effective and continuous. In-person courses and workshops, online activities and collaborative opportunities will provide a broader range of trainings. Educators should have the opportunity to learn 24/7 just like their students. The development of career-long personal learning networks will allow educators to achieve a level of expertise in technology as well as other aspects of education. These networks will consist of teacher preparation institutions, professional organizations, schools, educational peers and experts.
All of the goals and recommendations of this plan are worthwhile but several concerns emerge. Technology integration requires money. Providing internet access and an internet access device 24/7 to teachers and students that are not able to provide their own is a monumental undertaking. This is made even more difficult with the economic downturn we are experiencing. There is also the issue of parents who do not want their children to have unlimited internet access if any access at all. Before this plan can be fully implemented, funding and parental concerns must be addressed and resolved.
Resource
National Educational Technology Plan 2010. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010
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